HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Hutchinson Police will be doing extra seat belt enforcements around middle schools starting on Oct. 30 and continuing until Nov. 3.

Their goal is to have anyone visiting the middle schools buckled up properly.

This enforcement effort is in association with KDOT. They’ll be focusing on drivers and passengers in and around the schools. In 2016, Kansas lost 44 children ages 0-19 in motor vehicle crashes, with half of those children not being restrained.

Although the 2017 statewide observational seat belt survey showed 98 percent of children ages 0-4 are restrained, only 85 percent of 5-9 year olds and 85 percent of 10-14 year olds are buckled. They also note that, when the driver is buckled up, about 96 percent of the children are restrained. However, if the driver is not buckled up, only about 26 percent of the children are.

The times of the enforcement will be targeted 30 minutes before the start of school and 30 minutes following school on at least one school day.

In an effort to increase seat belt compliance, any person not properly restrained will be issued a citation.